Anchorage, Alaska | 3/16/2024 | Jacqueline Hixssen
The Anchorage Wolverines suffered their first loss at home since January, ending their record breaking 12-game win streak.
The game began in the Wolverines favor, Tyler Hennen and Arvega Hovsepyan secured the only two goals of the first frame, giving the Wolverines an early two-point lead.
Minnesota came out strong in the second period with Alessandro Lurati bringing his team back into the game after an early goal at 2:32. Lurati bagged the equalizing point just 10 minutes later.
After leveling the score, Minnesota grabbed two back-to-back goals, giving them their first lead of the weekend.
Hovsepyan found the back of the net for the second time of the night with just under seven minutes left to play. Bryce Monrean followed two minutes later, leveling the score for the Wolverines and forcing the game into overtime.
Vaughn Makar made huge saves in net for the Wolverines – especially through overtime, seeing more shots on goal in the five-minute period than in the entire third frame.
A scoreless overtime pushed the game into a first-to-three shootout.
The Wilderness took shot one, which was denied by Makar’s left pad. Hovsepyan went first for the Wolverines, but was unable to get a shot off.
The Wilderness’ Daniel Astapovich took their second shot, bringing Makar out of the net and hitting the top shelf to give the Wilderness a one point lead.
Nikolayenya lined up next, dancing the puck through Minnesota’s end making it look easy – leveling the score yet again.
The Wilderness responded with another goal, followed by a missed shot by Kade Shea, finalizing the shootout loss for the Wolverines.
The win streak may be over, but the point streak continues as the Wolverines walk away with a single point after forcing the game past regulation.
Next weekend, the Wolverines will travel north to face off against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs for a two game series Friday and Saturday.
